Drive for motor vehicles



Dec. 18, 1928.

A. D. ROBBINS DRIVE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Feb. 11, 1925 i atentcd B oc; 18, 1923.

UNITED STATES 1 ZJFBLIVE Application filed This invention relates to drives for motor vehicles and more particularly toa-disposition the drive mechanism with respect the r or driving axle. In certain types of mot vehicles such bu n" l is desir able, if not essential, that the floor of the vehicle be disposed close to the ground as possible in the interest ofstability while at the 1% time the maximum of floor space unis-t be available in the interest of the acconin'iodation of passengers. While the floors of busses have heretofore been disposed in close pro-xii" y to the axles of the vehicle in order to maintainthe center of ity of the load as near the ground as possible the drive mechanism and particularly the dif ferential gearing contained within the housformed with the rear axle has always nesitated portion of the vehicle floor being t upwardly to accommodate the same. lieretofore the location of the differential midway between the ends of the axle has necessitated V a raised portion in the center of the floor of the vehicle which interfered inateri lly with the con- "a'enience of passengers in passing along central aisle of the vehicle. in order to overcome this difficulty it has previously been proposed to arrz the differential to one side of the middle of the axle in order that the raised portion of the floor may come beneath one of the side seats, Such disposition of the differential has necessitated the positioning of the prime mover of the vehicle and the drive shaft therefrom upon one side of the vehicle This arrainrement has proved impractical "rem the standpoint of operation and effectiveness of the drive, The present invention seeks to obtain the advantages inherent in a disposition of the differential gearing beneath one side of the vehicle body in order that the raised portion may be formed in the floor beneath a seat while at the same time retaining the advantages of standard automotive practice in which the drive shaft from the engine is disposed in the longitudinal median plane of the vehicle. Accordingly a system of gearing and shafting is provided whereby the power from the cenvtrallv disposed drive shaft is transmitted to a differential for the live axle sections disposed at one side of the vehicle. More particu arly a bevel pinion is carried on the end of the drive shaft and meshes with a- Iiil. i1,

F63 HUT-UR- Vii:

Aren't orrics.

ICK-ES.

February 11,1925. Serial No. 8,329.

shaft section disposed substantiallyparallel with the live axle sect-ions, but forwardly o fit the opposite end of the short shaft section there is carried a spur gear operatively connected with the master gear of the differential. In order that the inven tion may be clearly understood and readily car" ed into effect the same will now be descrioed more fully with reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof in which:

. drive shaft and differential gearing, one or the wheels of the vehicle being re moved in the interest of clearness.

Figure 8 is view in rear elevation showthe disposition of the differential with respect to the drive shaft of the vehicle and the manner in which the portion of the floor raised over the differential is disposed be neath a seat in the vehicle.

Referring to the drawings the rear axle housing a is formed with a differential housvingc disposed upon one side of the central axis of the vehicle and preferably adjacent a side member 6 of the chassis frame. differential. mechanism is not illustrated in detail but the master gear thereof is indicated at 0. Disposed forwardly of the live The axle sections d and substantially parallel thereto but so disposed that its axis is below the horizontal plane including the axis of the live axle is a short shaft section 6' carrying on one end thereof a spur gear 6' wl h meshes with the master gear 0 of the di Giltlhl. The shaft 6 is preferably goun nailed in suitable fashion in a housing portion a formed forwardly of the dead axle a. Upon the end of the short shaft section opposite to that carrying the spur gear 6' and proximate to tl e longitudinal median line of the vehicle there is fixed a bevel pinion 6 meshingwith a bevel pinion 7" 09.1 1 ried upon the end of the drive shaft f driven in suitable manner from the prime mover of the vehicle (not shown). Suitable reduction in the drive may be realized by a mropriately proportioning the spur gear bers of the chassis is disposed With little clearance above the rear axle a. A portion of the floor 9 is offset in an upward direction to clear the differential housing a" as clearly indicated in the drawings. Since the differential housing is offset from the longitudinal center line of the vehicle the offsetportion g of the floor is disposed adjacent one side of the vehicle immediately beneath seats disposed along the sides of the bod in- I dicated at h.

p The gearing and associated mechanism availed of to transmit driving torque from the drive shaft 7 to the differential gearing may be varied dependent upon the results desired and no limitation is intended by the particular type of mechanism illustrated but the invention is to be deemed broadly covered in a manner commensurate in scope With the appended claims.

What ll claim 1s:

1. In a drive for a motor vehicle having a central longitudinal aisle section and \therein the eleinents thereof are constructed to provide maximum clearance between the frame and axle, the combination oi a drive shaft disposed in the median plane of the vehicle and extending; rearwardly to the final drive thereof, live aXle sections, differential gearing; tor the live axle sections at one side of the longitudinal median plane of the vehicle and out of the aisle section, a shaft section below the horizontal plane including; the axis of the live axle sections and parallel thereto, and gearing connecting the shaftsection with the drive shaft and difierential gearing.

2. The combination as claiined in claim 1, wherein the live axle sections are carried with the side frame nieinbers, the dilterential being adjacent to one of said side tr, ine members. i

This specification signed January, A. D. 1925,

. AZOR D. ROBBINS.

this th day e1 

